Education System Colombia
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Education system Colombi a described and compared with the Dutch system Education system | Evaluation chart Education system Colombia This document contains information on the education system of Colombia. We explain the Dutch equivalent of the most common qualifications from Colombia for the purpose of admission to Dutch higher education. Disclaimer We assemble the information for these descriptions of education systems with the greatest care. However, we cannot be held responsible for the consequences of errors or incomplete information in this document. With the exception of images and illustrations, the content of this publication is subject to the Creative Commons Name NonCommercial 3.0 Unported licence. Visit www.nuffic.nl/en/home/copyright for more information on the reuse of this publication. Education system Colombia | Nuffic | 1st edition, December 2012 | version 2, January 2015 2 Education system | Evaluation chart Education system Colombia Education system Colombia Doctor L8 (PhD) 2-4 Magíster L7 Especialista L6 Tecnólogo especializado L5 (universities) (universities / technological (technological institutions) institutions) 1-2 1-2 2 postgraduate Licenciado/ L6 Tecnólogo L4 Título profesional (technological institutions) (universities) 2-3 work experience L4 1 Técnico profesional L4 (technical training institutes) undergraduate 5-7 2 Examen de Estado/ICFES L4 Certificado de Aptitud L4 (state exam) profesional – CAP (SENA) ½ -1 Bachiller Académico L4 Bachiller Técnico/Comercial L4 (educación media: upper secondary education) (educación media vocacional: upper secondary 2 vocational education) 2 Certificado de Estudios de Bachiller Básico L2 (educación básica secundaria: lower secondary education) 4 Primary education L1 (educación básica primaria) 5 0 Duration of education Education system Colombia | Nuffic | 1st edition, December 2012 | version 2, January 2015 3 Education system | Evaluation chart Education system Colombia Evaluation chart The left-hand column in the table below lists the most common foreign qualifications applicable to admission to higher education. The other columns show the Dutch equivalent along with the comparable levels in the Dutch and European qualifications frameworks. Degree or qualification Dutch equivalent and NLQF level EQF level Técnico Profesional MBO diploma (qualification levels 2, 2-4 2-4 3 or 4) Bachiller Académico Approximately HAVO diploma 4 4 Tecnólogo At least MBO diploma (qualification 4 4 level 4) Tecnólogo Especializado At most 2 years of HBO 5 5 Licenciado/Título professional HBO or WO bachelor’s degree 6 6 Especialista At least HBO or WO bachelor’s 6 6 degree Magister HBO or WO master’s degree 7 7 NB • The information provided in the table is a general recommendation from which no rights may be derived. • NLQF = Dutch Qualifications Framework; EQF = European Qualifications Framework • The EQF/NLQF level is not so much a reflection of study load or content; rather, it is an indication of a person’s knowledge and skills after having completed a certain programme of study. • Information about Dutch equivalent qualifications can be found on our website: the Dutch education system. • The Cooperation Organisation for Vocational Education, Training and the Labour Market (SBB), evaluates statements on foreign qualifications and training at VMBO and MBO level. The evaluation may vary if SBB evaluates the diploma for admission to VET schools or the labour market in the Netherlands. Education system Colombia | Nuffic | 1st edition, December 2012 | version 2, January 2015 4 Education system | Evaluation chart Education system Colombia Introduction Colombia is a presidential republic consisting of 32 departamentos (departments) subdivided into 1,070 municipios (municipalities). The current president is Juan Manuel Santos. The population is represented by two Houses: Parliament (with 165 members) and Congress (with 102 members). Colombia has a population of over 45 million, 49 per cent of whom live in the urban regions of Bogotá, Calí and Medellin. The capital is Bogotá D.C., and the majority of the population is Spanish-speaking. The Ministerio de Educación Nacional (the Ministry of Education, MEN) is the body responsible for education. Almost every department also has its own Secretaria de Educación (education secretariat) that is charged with managing education in accordance with the ministry’s regulations. The Consejo Nacional de Educación Superior (CESU), the National Council of Higher Education advises the ministry on policy definition. The legal framework for the Colombian education system consists of the 1991 revised constitution and the various education acts, such as the 1994 General Education Act (Ley General de la Educación), the 1992 Higher Education Act (Ley de Educación Superior) and the 2002 Higher Education Act applicable to Instituciones Técnicas Profesionales and Instituciones Tecnológicas (Ley 749 de Julio 19 de 2002). Colombia has a unitary higher education system, with no clear distinction between academic education and higher professional education. Some programmes contain elements of both higher professional education and university education. Education is compulsory for children aged between 6-14. The language of education is Spanish. The academic year consists of 2 semesters, and runs from February until November in most departments. In some regions, the academic year runs from August/September until June. Education system Colombia | Nuffic | 1st edition, December 2012 | version 2, January 2015 5 Education system | Evaluation chart Education system Colombia Primary and secondary education Primary education - Educación básica Educación básica (primary education) is compulsory for children aged 6-14, and is provided by both public and private schools. At public schools, this form of education is free. The programme has a nominal duration of 9 years, and is usually taken at a colegio or at a liceo or instituto. An overview of all colegios is available on the Ministry of Education website. The programme is subdivided into an initial phase (educación básica primaria, grades 1-5) with a nominal duration of 5 years and intended for children aged 6- 10, and a second phase (educación básica secundaria, grades 6-9) with a nominal duration of 4 years for pupils aged 11-14. The curriculum is set by law and comprises nine educational areas that must constitute at least 80 per cent of the total programme: • ciencias naturales y educación ambiental (natural sciences and environmental education); • ciencias sociales, historia, geografía, constitución política y democracia (social sciences, history, geography, political constitution and democracy); • educación artística (art education); • educación ética y en valores humanos (ethics and human values); • educación física, recreación y deportes (physical education, recreation and sport); • educación religiosa (religious education); • humanidades, lengua castellana e idiomas extranjeros (humanities, Spanish and foreign languages); • matemáticas (mathematics); and • tecnología e informática (technology and information technology). During the initial phase, education includes amongst others mathematics, Spanish, natural sciences, social sciences, physical education and art education. During the second phase, the curriculum continues with all subjects from the initial phase, with additional technical subjects and a foreign language. Upon completion, pupils receive a Certificado de Estudios de Bachiller Básico, and can then choose between various types of secondary education. Secondary education - Educación media Secondary education (educación media/secundaria, also known as educación media vocacional) can also be taken at a colegio (nowadays gimnasio), liceo or instituto. This type of education lasts 2 years, covers classes 10 and 11 (grados: decimo and undecimo) and is intended for pupils aged 15-16. Education system Colombia | Nuffic | 1st edition, December 2012 | version 2, January 2015 6 Education system | Evaluation chart Education system Colombia Students may choose between two streams: general education (bachillerato académico) or vocational (bachillerato en tecnología o aplicado). The general stream gives pupils a thorough grounding in the areas of ciencias (sciences), artes (arts) or humanidades (humanities). Upon completion, pupils receive the Bachiller Académico certificate, which grants access to higher education via a state exam (Examen de Estado) administered by the Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES). More information on the state exam is available at the ICFES website. In terms of level, the Bachiller Académico is approximately comparable to a HAVO diploma. The vocational stream primarily prepares students for entry into the labour market, but also grants access to higher education in Colombia after completion of the state exam. Pupils can specialize in areas such as agropecuaria (agriculture and livestock farming), comercio (commerce), finanzas (finance) and industria (industry). The curriculum consists of general subjects and a small number of vocational subjects. Certificates awarded upon completion of these programmes include the Bachiller Comercial and Bachiller Técnico. Pupils who do not complete the bachillerato can choose from a number of special programmes provided by the Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA), the Colombian organisation responsible for vocational education and training. Certificates awarded upon completion of the SENA programme include the Certificado